Renewable Energy is in the Air

wind turbine over orchard

NEW APPLE BLOSSOM WIND FARM PROVIDES CLEAN, AFFORDABLE ENERGY

As part of our continued effort to keep your energy bills affordable and generate more renewable energy in Michigan, we’ve agreed to purchase energy from the new Apple Blossom Wind Farm. This new 100-megawatt wind farm will be built in Michigan’s Thumb region early next year, and will provide power to Michiganders in late 2016.

wind turbine through trees — Creating 100 MWh of energy.

HARVESTING THE WIND

Wind is a significant part of our strategy to provide you with affordable, reliable and sustainable energy, especially as we plan to retire seven of our oldest coal-fired power plants. To achieve this, we:

Own and operate two wind farms and purchase power from seven Michigan wind farms.
Opened our first wind farm, the Lake Winds® Energy Park in Mason County, in 2012.
Began commercial operation at the Cross Winds® Energy Park in Tuscola County, in late 2014.

APPLE BLOSSOM BY THE NUMBERS

10% – The amount of energy from renewable sources. When Apple Blossom goes online, we will exceed this number.
100 – Megawatts of clean, renewable energy generated by the wind farm.
150 – Number of construction jobs created. The Apple Blossom project also will provide 10 permanent full-time jobs.
15 – The number of years we will purchase electricity from Apple Blossom.
$700,000 – The amount of annual tax revenue the wind farm will provide for local governments and schools.

LEADING THE WAY

We’re developing our first community solar program, called Solar Gardens, and could start generating electricity as early as 2016 from potential locations at Grand Valley State University and Western Michigan University.
Along with wind and solar power, our renewable energy portfolio also includes hydroelectric power and biomass.